Barcelona’s position in Pot 1 for the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League group stage draw has been confirmed following AS Roma’s absence from the competition. AS Roma’s chance to be in the Champions League was dependent on Atalanta finishing fifth in Serie A, thereby passing down their spot to Roma in sixth. However, Atalanta secured a top-four place with a 3-0 win at home to Torino, leaving Roma to take up a place in the Europa League instead.
In the scenario where Atalanta had finished fifth, they would have qualified for the Champions League as Europa League titleholders, resulting in the extra spot for Italy going to the team in sixth place, which is now Bologna. Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen had the opportunity to overtake Barcelona for a place in Pot 1, but their defeat in the Europa League final to Atalanta cemented Barcelona’s position.
Under the new Champions League format starting next season, only the holders of the competition are guaranteed a place in Pot 1, with the other spots being determined by coefficient. With the introduction of a new league table format with 36 teams playing eight matches, the drawing process will largely be automated to accommodate the multiple alternatives.
Teams from the same country are expected to be kept apart in the group stage draw, although leagues with more than four teams may have to face each other due to specific criteria. The top eight teams in the league table automatically advance to the round of 16, while those in the positions 8-24 compete in a two-legged knockout playoff. Teams ranked 25th to 36th will be eliminated from the competition.
The draw for the group stage is scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 29th, with Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool, Internazionale, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, and Barcelona confirmed in Pot 1. Pot 2 includes teams like Bayer Leverkusen, Atlético Madrid, Juventus, and Atalanta, while Pot 4 is likely to feature Celtic, AS Monaco, Aston Villa, Bologna, Girona, and Brest.
Barcelona’s placement in Pot 1 for the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League group stage draw comes as a result of various outcomes in the qualification scenarios and the impact of the new Champions League format. The changes in the seeding process and the format of the competition reflect a shift towards more automation and streamlined procedures in determining the group stage matchups. With the draw set to take place later this year, fans and teams alike await the exciting matchups and challenges that the Champions League brings.
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